Nine people have been killed after a private business jet crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Learjet 60 aircraft crashed at about 12:50 p.m. local time on Sunday, November 1, while travelling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard the aircraft died in the incident.
The aircraft reportedly plunged towards the ground before exploding into a massive fireball near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.
The impact created a large crater on the roadway, while thick black smoke engulfed the surrounding area.
According to reports, cockpit recordings showed that the pilot had informed air traffic controllers about ice accumulation and moderate turbulence before the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly.
The pilot reportedly requested to climb to a higher altitude before declaring an emergency.
In the final moments, the pilot was heard saying, “We’re going to crash into the ground,” before later adding, “We’re out of time.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the incident as a major tragedy, adding that there were no immediate reports of casualties among residents on the ground.
Authorities evacuated approximately 600 residents from a nearby mobile-home community and arranged temporary shelter for those affected.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have commenced investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier also expressed condolences to the victims’ families and pledged to cooperate with investigators.
The identities of the nine victims had not been officially released as of November 2.
